R. Meir says: Diminish (your) occupation [with business or labor] and occupy yourself [primarily] with Torah. And be of lowly spirit before all men, [to learn even from those lesser than you in wisdom.] And if you would be idle [in Torah study], there are many idlers beside you [to assist you in doing so. Or: There are many idlers in the world, the wicked and the savage beasts, through whom the Holy One Blessed be He can bring punishment upon you.] And if you have toiled in Torah He has much reward to give you. [He Himself will reward you, and not a messenger, His attribute of good being greater than that of His punishment.]
Shaarei Teshuvah
And the penitent is also obligated to be submissive and to fulfill and follow the path about which our Rabbis, may there memory be blessed, said (Avot 4:10), "Be of humble spirit before all men." And from this, he will acquire that he will not get angry at - or be exacting with - his fellows; and he will also not pay attention to everything that he hears and will forego his reckonings. And from this, all of his sins will be [forewent to be] atoned, as our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Rosh Hashanah 17a), "Whoever forgoes his reckonings [with others, the heavenly court, in turn,] forgoes all his sins" - measure for measure. And this is a very glorious opening for hope. And it is stated (Lamentations 3:29-30), "Let him put his mouth to the dust - there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to the smiter; let him be surfeited with mockery."
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Mesilat Yesharim
Considering this, our sages, peace be unto them, said: "minimize your worldly occupations and toil in the Torah" (Avot 4:10).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Mesilat Yesharim
The matter of "Zeal" is clear. It is the early engaging in mitzvot and their completion as the sages of blessed memory said: "the zealous are early to perform the mitzvot" (Pesachim 4a).
